Safety drill goes well

ELC administrators report at meeting

January 21, 2013

Apparently a safety drill at Estherville Lincoln Central last Wednesday went well - and there were a few areas where staff noted security could be tightened.

Elementary principal Justin Bouse said at the Estherville Lincoln Central Board of Education meeting Monday night that the drill went well and he had received feedback from teachers - all after spending a lot of time talking with staff since the Newtown, Ct. shootings last month.

"It's really impossible to prepare for every scenario," said Bouse.

High school principal Frank Christenson noted some good feedback with the lockdown drill at the high school - with different issues than at the elementary or middle school.

Superintendent Tara Paul said the drill showed some gaps and that staff also did a safety walk-through of buildings.

In other matters coming before the board Monday night, middle-school principal Deb Lenertz said the student council has been conducting a survey to see how long it takes students to get through lunch and that work is being done on an ala carte menu.

Lenertz said the elementary staff has been working on CGI time for math improvement.

Christenson said fall attendance at the high school was the best he's seen since he joined the staff. He said the school apparently hasn't been hit as bad with the flu as some other schools have.

Activities director Brad Leonard noted lots of fine arts events going on now and that the Patrons of the Fine Arts will hold a coffee house at the high school Jan. 31.

The board held second reading for the fifth set of 200 series policies and first reading for the first set of 300 series policies.

Paul said a culture survey had been conducted and that staff will be briefed on the results Feb. 20.

Transportation director Rick Gebel said the district had received the new 71-passenger bus which will be put on a route.

With just $206 left in the daycare budget at the end of December, Paul said the infant room will close at the end of January due to a retirement and the person retiring is willing to take infants into her home.

With three part-time employees at the end of January, Paul said the best-case scenario shows the district daycare program will have a net loss of $2,425 at the end of the year.

The board has already approved closing the daycare as of June 30; however, Paul said the board might look at doing so at the end of the school year.

Paul said there are no plans to retain any part of the daycare into the next school year; however, the district will look at expanding the Energizer program at the Regional Wellness Center.